The described embodiments relate to communications networks, and in particular, to systems, apparatus and methods of managing networking devices and associated networked devices.
Transmitting data through groups of interconnected computer systems is an increasingly important and complex aspect of everyday business and life. For example, many computer systems may be interconnected through a public, heterogeneous communications network, such as the Internet. A grouping of these interconnected computer systems may be organized to form a managed communications network. Such a communications network requires management of the associated networking devices, such as routers, firewalls, etc., to insure a reliable, secure and optimized flow of data across the network. Networking devices, therefore, provide the link between the computer systems, such as personal computers, servers, etc., and the transmission media, such as wireless, wireline, cable, optical, and satellite communications systems, and allow for transmitting data across the communications network.
Current systems and methods for managing networking devices are complicated and heterogeneous, however, thus creating problems for a system manager wanting to control a group of networking devices. Each node or site on a communications network typically includes a number of different networking devices, each requiring different commands, protocols and languages to control them. Additionally, each type of networking device requires a separate network management interface or console, typically located at a centralized data center, to enter the device-specific commands and protocols to control the networking device. Further, the various network management consoles typically do not share information due to the device-specific commands associated with each console. This creates complexity in the management of the entire group of networking devices as, for example, a change on one networking device (e.g. a router) invariably requires a change to be made in another networking device (e.g. firewall) at a separate console with separate commands and protocols. There is no provision for the sharing of data and mapping of the interrelationship of networking services amongst management consoles, or networking devices at each site, because the different networking devices are controlled by separate, distinct management interfaces that do not communicate. Therefore, in changing a configuration of a networking device, a system manager must individually send commands to each device in its own language from its own management interface. Thus, management of the group of networking devices on a communications network becomes a complicated and cumbersome task that is compounded as the network grows and as new networking devices are added.
Further, networking technologies and security threats continue to develop at a rapid pace. The traditional response to these changes in technology is to wait for the market to design and manufacture another purpose-built networking device, e.g. a physical device with dedicated hardware, that incorporates the new technology or addresses the new threat. Such a purpose-built device adds increasing expense to managing a communications network, as it must be purchased, installed and supported. This proliferation of purpose-built networking devices may be defined as “device creep”—where networking appliances proliferate across a network, leading to expensive management costs, vendor finger-pointing and laborious troubleshooting.
Therefore, what is needed is a system and method for improving the ability of a system manager to manage and control a group of networking devices.